A Dictionary of Wellerisms
A Dictionary of Wellerisms
hardback
Published:
29 September, 1994
hardback
Published:
29 September, 1994
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Description
The wellerism - so called in English because it is a form of expression typical or reminiscent of Sam Weller or his father, two celebrated characters in Dickens's Pickwick Papers - is a major subtype of the proverb. It consists of three parts: a speech or statement (often a proverb), identification of the speaker, and identification of the situation, which gives the expression an ironic or humorous twist, often in the form of a pun. A Dictionary of Wellerisms is the first work to collect all of the wellerisms recorded in the English language. Containing a wealth of wit and wisdom, it also offers a preface, bibliography, lengthy introduction, and two indexes, one of speakers, one of situations. Wellerisms: `Prevention is better than cure,' said the pig when it ran away from the butcher. `We'll have to rehearse that,' said the undertaker as the coffin fell out of the car.
More Details
| Type | Book |
|---|---|
| ISBN13 | 9780195083187 |
| ISBN10 | 0195083180 |
| Number Of Pages | 208 |
| Item Weight | 361 g |
| Product Dimensions | 146 x 216 x 22 mm |
| Publisher / Reseller | Oxford University Press |
| Format | hardback |
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Media Reviews
"A splendid idea and a first in the English language. All libraries will want a copy; all scholars concerned with the English language will find it of interest. There is no competitive volume."--Alan Dundes, University of California, Berkeley
Author's Bio
Wolfgang Meider is Chairperson of the Department of German and Russian, University of Vermont, and the author a Dictionary of American Proverbs (OUP, 1992) and Proverbs Are Never out of Season (OUP, 1993). Stewart A. Kingsbury is Professor of English (retired) at Northern Michigan University.